


even giants hit the ground

by bapplejack



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-27 22:36:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10818180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bapplejack/pseuds/bapplejack
Summary: King's Row is freed from Null Sector's insurrection efforts, but laws were still broken and Jack must deal with the fallout of Overwatch's disobedience.





	even giants hit the ground

**Author's Note:**

> fair warning there isn't much fluff to this

“Do you know what you’ve done?”

The UN representative crossed his legs and stared them down like they were disobedient children. Ana, Gabe, and Angela were beside Jack in the line-up, but his attention was directed at the strike commander in particular.

_Good--it’s no one else’s fault but my own._

_Jack_ was the one who led Overwatch, any and all of its mistakes should rest solely on his shoulders--yet Gabe and Ana were frequently dragged into his messes as well. No matter how hard he tried to stand in the way, they always ended up involved somehow.

“Dunno, boss. Seems to me like we saved a bunch of innocent lives while you bitches were pussy-footing around,” Gabe drawled, his expression unimpressed and bored.

_Like that._

Jack glanced over to the others; Ana and Gabe’s expressions were schooled perfectly and didn’t give away the slightest hint of emotion. Angela’s face was blank, though there was fire in her eyes--it was to be expected, she hadn’t played this game as long as the rest of them. Right now, Jack’s goal was to get out of this meeting without the ambassador pissing her off too badly.

“You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you, Reyes?” He tilted his head challengingly. “Last I checked, any and all members of Blackwatch were on suspension--and yet, I find you involved in this operation. All you lot have done is cause a PR _nightmare_.” He reached for a remote and clicked the on button; instantly the screens around the room blipped on, each showing different newsfeeds and footages of what was left of King’s Row.

_Backlash for Overwatch involvement in London_

_Prime Minister outraged over illegal Overwatch activities_

_Director Petras to speak on Null Sector incident this evening_

_Overwatch too much power?_

Images of smoke and battle-torn London flooded the feeds, and while some outlets vouched for Overwatch’s involvement, more expressed distress than not.

“And what the _hell_ is going on in your medical research department? _Human experimentation_ was not--”

“--Genji Shimada was put under our care at the UN’s _behest_ \--”

“--And any project that involves Shimada is sanctioned as per his contract. But who is _Lena Oxton?_ And what is this bullshit I’m seeing about a chronal accelerator?” He reached over and unlocked a file on the holo-table that projected the report on the Slipstream incident. _“Time travel?"_

“Cadet Oxton has a medical condition that requires the chronal accelerator to keep her rooted in the present.” Angela’s voice was completely detached of emotion, and Jack sympathized. She probably felt if she allowed even the slightest bit, she’d go off on this piece of work.

“A medical aid is one thing, but it looks to me Overwatch is weaponizing her _condition_ \--”

 _Oh, shit._ Jack could barely restrain the facepalm and long sigh. _So much for that goal..._

Anger boiled over in Angela’s expression. “ _That_ is what the UN _wants_ from Overwatch--that is what you _wanted_ from me instead of just _saving_ Genji’s life! _Why_ is this an issue now with Lena--!? She hasn’t _done_ anything but _help_ \--”

 _“She is too dangerous._ The world is worked up about Overwatch’s authority in the world--you make weapons, you make superhumans, and now?! You fucking barge into London without permission!”

Ana cut in, her tone cold and even. “Our newest recruit is irrelevant to the current topic; in regards to the discussion at hand, it’s our job to keep the peace, and we succeeded.”

“It is your _job_ to stay _put_ when ordered, not barge in and _stage firefights in the middle of the street_. There’s something you _miserable dogs_ have failed to understand-- ** _you are not in charge._ ** You work under _us_.”

Jack’s jaw clenched and his fists tightened and untightened as his gaze bounced from the UN representative towards Gabe and Ana, and back. There was a dangerous glint in either of their eyes; he could tell they were mad, but they were usually the ones who kept him in line, not the other way around.

“It was _my_ decision,” Jack stated flatly, fed-up with this suit talking down on his comrades. “I made the executive order to save innocent lives, Petras knows how to reach me if he wants to talk.”

The representative looked at Jack incredulously, like what he’d said was inconceivable. Finally, he shook his head and scoffed. _“_ _You_ are who we’re coming after first, Morrison. Don’t think a statue saves you from what’s coming--” But before he could finish his verbal assault, a firm fist met the side of his face and he toppled off the top of the desk he was seated upon.

 _“ _What_ the fu--_ ” A hand cradled the new wound as he looked at them with wide, furious eyes, but Gabe gave him no respite. He crouched over him and grabbed the front of his fancy, pressed dress shirt and roughly yanked him close.

Gabe grinned, the practically sadistic look in his eyes wildly contrasting the bored, disinterest from only a moment ago.

“Have you lost your _fucking mind?!_ I’ll have you su--”

“Oh--what? _What was that?_ ” Gabe taunted. “You’ll have me… _suspended?_ Too late for that, buddy. For someone who’s on our ass about PR, you don’t know shit about how to act in a room of Overwatch officials, do you? Let me offer a suggestion: if your bosses still want to talk, they can send _me_ an email, and I’ll see if I can block out a space for those chucklefucks. For now? _Get the fuck out_ ,” he practically growled the last four words before shoving him back into the ground. _“Get."_

All the fire the ambassador had only intensified tenfold. “You will be _lucky_ if Overwatch isn’t shut down by the end of the month. You will be left disgraced with nothing to show for your entire lives’ work,” he took the moment to give a dirty look to each of the four in the room, but Gabe was the one who received the most hatred as he scrambled to exit the office.

The door slid shut behind him and the tension lifted ever-so-slightly.

“You should’ve held him down so I could punch him too,” Angela muttered, glaring darkly at the wall to the side.

“Next time, Ange. I think I punched him hard enough for the four of us… Jesus _fuck_ , my hand…” Gabe tried to shake the ache out of his fist before clutching it gingerly.

Ana smirked. “Let’s get an ice pack on that.” She hooked a hand around his elbow and tugged him out of the room.

When they exited, silence prevailed as Jack took a few seconds to reflect on what the fuck just happened.

_Gabe took the heat off him._

He sighed, rubbing his eyes.

_Why are you like this…?_

“...Jack?” A soft hand rested on his shoulder, and he turned to see Angela look at him with worry. “How are you?”

He scoffed. “I should be asking you that… Forget those clowns. They don’t know what the hell they’re talking about.”

Angela gave a small, unconvinced nod.

“...They think Lena’s dangerous,” she murmured.

“They think we’re _all_ dangerous; the ironic thing is we’re trying to do good, but now they want to back us up into a corner to _pacify_ us.” He shook his head. “Because we all know that will end well.”

Jack glanced her up and down, noting how much wearier she looked than usual. Had she even gotten a chance to rest properly since coming back from King’s Row? “Take the rest of the day off.”

Angela looked at him with an arched brow.

...Okay, maybe he should’ve known better. “At least… take it easier?”

“You should take your own advice, commander,” she smirked, and left the room.

“Too much damn work to do,” Jack mumbled.

 

* * *

 

When Jack arrived at the entrance of the medbay, he immediately spotted the other two and hung back around the corner for a moment--was it crazy he felt like he would be intruding?

The two of them talked back and forth; Gabe gestured animatedly with his free hand while the other was being bandaged by Ana. They both smirked widely, and Jack had no doubt they were talking smack about the UN rep.

He watched the two of them fondly, an easy smile making its way onto his own face; the sight made him nostalgic for days gone by where it was just the three of them against the world. Now it was more of the same, but he had to watch out for the rest of Overwatch as well.

Jack couldn’t help but miss when there was none of that, though that line of wishful thinking was cut down by quickly onsetting guilt.

“Checkin’ up on li’l ol’ me, golden boy?” Gabe grinned as Jack stepped forward from his hiding place.

He sighed and leaned against the wall. “Why did you do that?”

Gabe’s jaw tightened and his cheery expression fell subtly. “Oh, you know me. The loose canon. The black sheep of Overwatch. Just playing the role here, Jack. You’re the boy scout and the one with the statue, not me.”

“No. That’s not what I meant.” Jack shook his head, frustrated. _I hate that damn thing._ He wasn’t the one who asked for it--he didn’t care about that vain shit. He was here to do a job and save innocent lives.

_How did it end up like this?_

“Why didn’t you let the rep just pin it on me and walk away? You’re already in shit, Reyes. Just let me take the fall.” Jack slowly stepped towards the bed so they were only a few inches apart.

“...I can’t do that,” he mumbled.

“Why _not?"_ Jack glanced at Ana, hoping she would be less stubborn. Most of the time she mediated between the two of them, bless her, but she’d proven before she could be more hard-headed than the both of them combined. Now was such a time as she raised a brow and challenged his stare with a subtle irreverence.

“Because you’re _Jack fucking Morrison._ You are the face of Overwatch--don’t give me that look, you know it’s true--and while shit’s falling apart, people are looking to slander and tear you apart.”

“So let them,” he sighed, all the energy draining from his body. _God_ , he wanted to nap. Forever.

“We can’t do that,” Ana responded this time, and his brow raised.

“Oh, so you’re teaming up on me now,” he joked dryly.

“You realize what the UN is doing, don’t you?” she continued, ignoring his comment. “They’re using us as a scapegoat. Now that the world’s seeing peaceful times why do we even exist?” her lips quirked into a humorless smile. “They need a villain, so here we are.”

Jack glanced between the two of them, as they looked at him and measured his response. “So what? It’s working, isn’t it?” he gestured vaguely. “Let them take me down with Overwatch. If the world needs a bad guy, then let it be me.”

“Idiot,” Gabe shook his head. “What do you think is going to happen when all this shuts down? And yeah, _when_. Because there’s no fucking way we’re coming back from _any_ of this.”

Jack shrugged.

“You know I’m only joking when I say they picked you as strike commander because you’re pretty, right?” Gabe smirked and Ana chuckled. “You don’t gotta play the part, Morrison.”

“Just spit it out,” he sighed.

 _“Impatient,"_ Gabe teased. “If everyone really believes you’re the bad guy, then despite all the work we put in, Overwatch will go down in history as a shitshow. _You_ can’t be dragged through the mud too. Better me than you.”

Jack frowned. “None of this would be here without you. _Either_ of you.” He might’ve been given all the credit, but it was Gabe that got them through the Omnic War, and it was _Ana_ that got _all_ of them here. Safe and sound. _Alive._

“The world doesn’t need to know that, Jack.” Gabe leaned back and rested against the wall, his constant amused smirk suddenly tired.

“...So, what? We should give up?”

“Fighting? _Fuck_ no. That’s what the UN wants us to do. They want to keep us on a leash and be their lapdogs,” Gabe scoffed in disgust. “That’s not what we’re here for. We _protect_ people. Even if you’re an old man now, I know you haven’t forgotten that. That’s why you decided to send them to London. _Eventually_.”

Jack rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “I couldn’t just _send_ them in there without thinking ab--I don’t regret it, okay? But we _are_ in deep shit now.”

“Who _cares?_ We saved those hostages and fucked up Null Sector. Isn’t that worth it in the end? We got the job done.”

“There are _rules_ \--”

“--And that’s the fucking problem! You care more about those rules than the _people._ ” Gabe glared at him. “If that kid hadn’t been around, would you have even given the order? Would King’s Row be a burned down shit hole full of corpses right now?”

“What’re you even talking about?” Jack asked, exasperated. Why were they _always_ fighting lately?

“Tracer. Lena. Whatever. I get _why_ , I’m not mad--shit, I’m glad _someone_ managed to convince you.” When Jack continued to look at him in confusion Gabe sighed and stared at the ceiling in frustration. It took him a few moments to continue on, and that was when he knew something sappy was coming.

“She reminds me of you. When you were younger, anyway. Bright-eyed, adorable teenager. Wanting to save the world. Didn’t give a shit what you had to do to get it done. And then we got old, and cynical, and here we fuckin’ are. The UN’s bitches. You know this is where they want us, right? They want us to just… do _nothing_ as the world falls apart again. It’s like Ana said, they want to make us the bad guys in this," Gabe scoffed. "We sit around like lumps, and people wonder where we at while shit burns down. We go in, and we’re trigger happy. It’s bullshit.

“My point is… we’re in deep shit already, Jack. Might as well save people while we’re at it.”

“It’s not that _easy_ for me--”

“What, being the big goddamn hero isn’t what you _want?_ ”

 _“No._ Overwatch is falling apart, fine--that doesn’t mean we should expedite it.”

“Why not?”

“What?” Jack’s eyes widened slightly in shock. “What do you mean _why not?_ ”

“Exactly what I fuckin’ said. Why not? Overwatch’s time is _over._ I said I didn’t want people to look back on it in shame, not that it should stick around. We are overstaying our welcome. We’re _done._ ” Gabe huffed and looked away, meanwhile Ana squeezed his shoulder and massaged the back of his neck in an attempt to calm and comfort him.

“So what do you _want?_ ”

“We do what we’ve always done. But without _this._ ” Gabe motioned to the room around them. “Fuck rules.”

“I…” Was Gabe _right?_ Was it time to let Overwatch go? Were they just moving onto a new age…? Jack clenched and unclenched his fists. “I…”

_Would it be so bad when he’d been wishing for that moments earlier?_

“Whatever. That’s why you’re the commander of Overwatch and I’m relegated to Blackwatch.” He smiled bitterly and stood up, quickly stepping past Jack and roughly bumping against his shoulder as he made way.

“ _Gabe…_ ” Jack reached forward to grab him and pull him back, but thought better of it and stopped short. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“It might be best to give him some space before chasing after him.” Ana touched his arm gently. “I tried talking to him, but…” She shook her head. “You know he hates it. Not being able to do anything.”

“I know,” he mumbled and hung his head.

Ana pulled him into a hug, and Jack pressed his face into her shoulder and closed his eyes. _He wanted Gabe to be here for this too._

“And you? What do you think?” he mumbled.

She gave a small shrug. “Retiring to Hawaii wouldn’t be so bad, would it?” she asked wryly.

“M’not that old yet.”

“As if a stubborn old dog like you would ever willingly entire retirement. Maybe the day you die,” Ana scoffed.

“You know me so well. You and Gabe could always go without me,” Jack suggested a bit warily. He’d never admit it out loud, but the idea of being without either of them…

She pulled away to ruffle his hair. “And miss all the excitement? Please. The day will come where they’ll bury the three of us together.”

“Ah, sounds like a date to me.”

“Gabe was always better with romantics, but I suppose a shoot out is more exciting for you than dinner and a movie.”

“Don’t act like you don’t feel the same,” Jack teased.

Ana shook her head with exasperated amusement, “You’re banned from deciding what we do on date nights from now on.”

 

* * *

 

As much as Jack would’ve liked to spend more peaceful moments with Ana, the idea of Gabe sulking off by himself hung over their heads, and neither wanted to let that sit. They’d decided it was Jack’s turn to talk to him; if they went together, it’d come off too much like they were ganging up on him.

“This is between the two of you, ultimately,” Ana said before he’d left to go find Gabe.

Jack sighed. She was right… him and Gabe butt heads the most out of the three of them, and she was usually stuck in the middle.

Sometimes he wondered if they’d be better off without him.

Jack stopped by a few places--Gabe’s room, the training facility, the cafeteria--before finally figuring out where he’d gone to. He waved his hand over the wall mechanism and unlocked the doors, which slid open and exited into a balcony. Night had fallen, and a cool, gentle breeze occasionally blew past them.

“We’re worried about you.” Jack stepped over towards where Gabe was sitting near the edge.

He simply grumbled, obviously still disgruntled.

 _I’m sorry._ It’d be best if Jack could manage to say the words and they could move past it, but that would take away all the _complicated fun_ of their relationship.

_Sigh._

“...Thanks for taking the hit for me.” Jack rubbed the back of his neck and stood there awkwardly; he was still trying to figure out if Gabe was mad enough to shove him off the edge if he sat beside him. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“‘Course I do, idiot. But I don’t do it ‘cause I have to.”

“I know.”  _You do it because you care._ Deciding the risk was worth it, Jack slowly lowered himself next to Gabe so their legs brushed together.

Neither of them said anything for several minutes, but at least no one was throwing punches yet. That was always a good sign.

“I’m only looking out for you, Jack. We both are. You try too hard to do this shit alone.”

Jack scoffed. “Really?” he shot Gabe a sideways glare. “You were doing recon in London and didn’t say a damn thing to us.”

“Because no one was supposed to know--if Petras knew you two were in on it, then we’d all be fucked.”

“What? So it’s okay for you to get in trouble but not us?”

“That’s the idea, Jack. Come on--what is Blackwatch if not disposable? We’re just Overwatch’s shadow.” Gabe didn’t sound angry, maybe a little tired, but above all else he just sounded… _resigned._ He yawned and stretched before laying on the floor with his arms crossed behind his head. “I make sure you get out alright, boy scout. Ain’t that how it’s always been?”

“ _No._ "  _Yes. I hate it._ “I’m not going to let you take all the heat for this.”

“You don’t have a choice. Neither of us do. That’s why the whole system’s fucked.”

Jack scowled, “I’ll fix it.”

Gabe smiled--not condescendingly, not a smirk. Just a small, sad smile. “I know you’re gonna try.”

There was no point in arguing this, they’d just go around in circles and get even more upset. Jack shook his head and sighed.

Before he could say anything else though, Gabe drawled, “So, how do you feel about Hawaii? Figured the three of us could get a nice house there. Forget the rest of the world. Think it’d be pretty nice.”

Jack smirked. “You wouldn’t last a week.”

“For the record, it was my idea and I thought we should check out Kauai.” Gabe propped himself up on his elbows and smiled cheekily.

Insufferable asshole.

~~Jack loved it.~~

“Eh. I’m warming up to the idea, I suppose. Maybe you two could put together a slideshow and present me your selling points.”

 _“Slideshow,_ christ… Sometimes I wonder if you’re actually ten years older than the rest of us,” Gabe scoffed with subtle affection. He scooted closer to Jack and linked their arms, their bodies pressed up each each other.

“You bein’ serious, though?” Gabe rubbed his chin mock-thoughtfully.

“Sure, if you think you can manage that miracle.” Jack laced their fingers together.

“I’m sure we could figure something out. You’ve always had a hard time saying no to Ana.”

“I have a hard time saying no to _either_ of you.”

“Really? You got a funny way of showin’ it to _me,_ ” Gabe challenged, and arched a brow at him.

Jack simply stared at him. Maybe they argued more with each other than with Ana, but that didn’t mean he cared _less_ about Gabe--they were just both too stubborn for their own good.

“Don’t be a dickhead,” he mumbled before resting his face in the crook of Gabe’s neck.

“Wow, my heart is melting. You’re such a smooth talker, Morrison. My pants are off.”

“Shut up." God, was he actually going to have to say it  _out loud?_ "I care about both of you. You know that, don't you? Even if we've been going through a rough patch lately--"

"It's not anything new. We'll get through it. We always do, don't we? The three of us... S'hard to imagine it any other way," Gabe gazed off into the distance wistfully.

"...Yeah." Jack felt some of the tension leave his body; he'd been worried Gabe didn't feel the same way anymore, but that obviously wasn't true.

Right?

He didn't know what was going to happen with Overwatch or Blackwatch--no idea what the UN or Petras was going to throw in their way next, but... was that something he needed to decide  _right now?_ Couldn't he figure it out when it all came, or was that irresponsible? On one hand, he could struggle to keep their organization afloat... or he could just follow after Gabe and fuck it all. It was so tempting to be selfish,  _just this once._

If it came down to Overwatch or Gabe, who would he pick?

Jack squeezed his hand and curled closer to him.

**Author's Note:**

> i just want anareaper76 to be happy in hawaii together ok


End file.
